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Western Lakes & Mountains

Lakes and mountains of northwestern Maine, including Farmington, Sugarloaf, Stratton, Eustis, Rangeley Lakes, Bethel, Sunday River, Oxford Hills, Fryeburg, Cornish, Sebago Lake, Long Lake, Bridgton, Naples, Lewiston, Auburn

A hug for Hugs

Ya know, Hugs could do everything wrong, but as long as they served me a basket of those pesto breadsticks, I'd still love the...

The ski report

If you live south of, say, Augusta, Maine, you're likely experiencing that season known as "spring." Up here in the north country, not. Our...

Dinner and a Downhill

Whatcha doin' for dinner Friday night? Sam Hayward, James Beard award-winning chef at Portland's Fore Street, is taking a road trip to Carrabassett Valley,...

Parking at the ‘loaf

I'll make this short and to the point: Carrabassett Valley's new police chief is strictly enforcing parking regulations at Sugarloaf. Spots where folks have...

Saddleback opens Saturday

Long a sleeper in western Maine, this season, Saddleback unveils the new Kennebago quad chairlift to the summit, replacing (finally!) the ancient T-bar, a...

Oh the weather outside is frightful BUT

It may be monsoon-like on the coast, but a friend at the 'Loaf reports that it's looking and skiing a lot more like February...

Brrrrrr…

The original plan was to ski today at Sugarloaf. The mountain looks terrific, all coved in white with plenty of terrain open. But the...

Maine Huts & Trails goes luxe, a bit

No more having to schlep wine or beer in from the trail head to the Poplar Stream Hut on the Maine Huts & Trails...

Enough! (maybe…)

Yes, yes, I'm still skiing at Sugarloaf. And yes, the weather over the past week--temps in the 60s and sun--has surely taken a toll,...

Sugarloaf shovel report

The snow gods continued their assault on Sugarloaf. Every time I think the conditions can't get any better, it snows again. Yesterday they blessed...

‘Loaf to open Friday

The countdown is on. The weather gods have spoken: temperatures have dropped, snowmaking has begun, and Sugarloaf is planning to open this Friday. And...

Portland to Kingfield food musings

Every ski town–make that every town–should have a cafe like Kingfield's  Orange Cat. I never pass it without stopping in, whether for tea or...